Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI)

Transcription

1 Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) Michigan Education Information System (MEIS) Registry of Educational Personnel (REP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) EOY 2015 Submission Questions? Phone: x3

2 Table of Contents GENERAL QUESTIONS... 4 PIC SEARCH... 6 MICHIGAN ONLINE EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION SYSTEM (MOECS)/TEACHER VERIFICATION WEBSITE... 7 MEIS ACCOUNT... 7 BULK SUBMISSION... 8 CREDENTIAL DATA EXCHANGE (CDX) AND CREDENTIAL INFORMATION... 9 REP ACCESS AND SECURITY AGREEMENTS... 9 REPORTING OF EMPLOYEES... 9 REPORTING OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS REPORTING OF SUBSTITUTE EMPLOYEES NON-INSTRUCTIONAL ASSIGNMENT CODES REPORTING OF OTHER CATEGORIES OF EMPLOYEES REPORTING OF TERMINATED/RETIRED EMPLOYEES PERSONNEL SUBMITTED REPORT/COMPLETE SUBMISSION SCHOOL NURSE PARAPROFESSIONALS/AIDES FIELD 1: DATE OF COUNT FIELD 2: OPERATING ISD/ESA NUMBER FIELD 3: OPERATING DISTRICT NUMBER FIELD 4: LAST NAME FIELD 5: FIRST NAME FIELD 6: MIDDLE NAME FIELD 7: SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER FIELD 8: CREDENTIAL LICENSE NUMBER FIELD 9: DATE OF HIRE FIELD 10: SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT DATA SCHOOL/FACILITY NUMBER ASSIGNMENT CODES GRADE LEVEL/EDUCATIONAL SETTING FULL-TIME EQUIVALENCY (FTE) HOURLY WAGE ACCOUNTING/FUNCTION CODES HIGHLY QUALIFIED STATUS ACADEMIC MAJOR EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 2 of 34

3 ACADEMIC MINOR ADMINISTRATOR CONTINUING EDUCATION NUMBER OF CLASSES TAUGHT MISCELLANEOUS FIELD 10 QUESTIONS FIELD 11: TITLE I AND TITLE II, PART A TEACHERS FIELD 12: FUNDED POSITION STATUS FIELD 13: DATE OF BIRTH FIELD 14: GENDER CODE FIELD 15: RACIAL/ETHNIC CODE FIELD 16: HIGHEST EDUCATIONAL LEVEL FIELD 17: TYPE OF CREDENTIAL FIELD 18: DATE CREDENTIAL ISSUED (OPTIONAL) FIELD 19: DATE OF EXPIRATION OF CREDENTIAL (OPTIONAL) FIELD 20: EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS FIELDS 21, 22, 23: RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE FIELD 24: NEW TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FIELD 25: EMPLOYMENT STATUS FIELD 26: DATE OF TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT FIELD 27: PERSONNEL IDENTIFICATION CODE (PIC) FIELD 28: ANNUAL SALARY FIELD 29: (RESERVED FIELD) FIELD 30: (RESERVED FIELD) EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 3 of 34

4 Please note the following: Changes that have been made to the REP FAQs since the previous submission are noted in Arial font, with a dashed underline. Note: If URLs are not working within the PDF version, please cut and paste the URLs into your browser. General Questions Q: What is the Registry of Educational Personnel (REP)? A: Since 1961, the State of Michigan has collected information regarding educational personnel in the state of Michigan. Beginning with the school year, this information has been collected by the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI). Q: What is the importance of the REP Submission for our district? A: The ability of the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to meet federal and state reporting requirements depends upon the timely submission of data by Michigan school districts. State funding is dependent upon meeting deadlines for federal reporting. Q: Why are the REP data collected twice each year? A: There are two submissions for the REP each school year. The first submission, due in December, is used primarily for the MDE audit, the federal EdFacts report and to meet the requirements of the School Safety Legislation. The second submission, due in June, is used primarily for the MDE audit, the professional development report, the educator effectiveness report and to meet the requirements of the School Safety Legislation. Q: What constitutes a "new teacher"? A: Michigan Compiled Law Section requires a new teacher to receive 15 days of professional development and a mentor during the first three years of teaching, which is the induction period. For purposes of this law, a new/novice teacher is defined as a teacher in the first three years of classroom experience. A new teacher only experiences the first three years of a teaching career once. So, if a teacher has held a contracted position with a K-12 school district anywhere for more than three years, he/she is not considered to be a "new teacher." (Source: MDE Office of Professional Preparation Services (OPPS) Q: What is the definition for a "teacher-of-record"? A: The teacher-of-record is the certificated teacher who provides instruction, who gives tests and quizzes, who evaluates the pupil's performance and who gives the pupil a grade. The on-site mentor may or may not be the teacher-of-record. The on-site mentor shall be a certificated Michigan teacher employed by the district. (Source: MDE Pupil Accounting Manual) Q: How long does a district need to retain REP data? A: Record retention is a district's decision. If your district does not already have a record retention plan in place, we suggest that you contact your district's legal advisor for assistance regarding this matter. Q: Is there an error check program for validating data before submitting to CEPI? A: A separate error check program is not used for the REP. The data are validated during the import to the REP database. CEPI anticipates that the program edits located in the REP Data Field Descriptions are incorporated into personnel management systems. When a file is uploaded to CEPI, an error report will be generated in the REP Application under Bulk Submission Status. Edits may then be made to a district's upload file and the file may be resubmitted as necessary until the deadline for the submission cycle. When a record is entered via the Online Submission process, the validation occurs and errors are provided to the user so that corrections can be made. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 4 of 34

5 Only those uploaded records that are complete and error-free are updated in the REP database. Partially correct records will not be updated. Q: How are the REP data used? A: Data submitted via the REP are used to meet federal and state reporting requirements. These include reports produced for the U.S. Department of Education and for the State of Michigan regarding school personnel, supply and demand data, School District/Building Staff Report/FTE, and the audit of instructional personnel conducted by MDE, as well as to meet the requirements of School Safety Legislation. Q: Who is responsible for entering and correcting data? A: The local school district is responsible for entering and correcting data unless the district has an agreement with an intermediate school district (ISD) to do this for them. Even if a local district decides to enter and correct data, it is recommended that the REP authorized user work closely with the ISD on data submission to ensure accuracy. Q: Can a district have more than one authorized user? A: Yes. In fact, districts are encouraged to have more than one authorized user for each application. Q: What is the blank character for pads? A: "Space" is the blank character for padding fields; specifically, ASCII Character 32. Q: How are duplicate records or staff members who have never been employed by the district eliminated from the REP database? A: To remove a duplicate record or a staff member who has never been employed by the district, please complete the following steps: 1. Send an message to [email protected]. 2. Subject line: REMOVE EMPLOYEE 3. The message should include the district name and district number followed by the employee's PIC. Include a district contact name and phone number. (The original PIC number assigned to the employee will be retained in the REP database. Therefore, be sure to update the original record submitted before the removal request is submitted.) 4. The employee(s) will be removed from your district by CEPI staff members. NOTE: If an individual has left your employment, you must terminate the individual by reporting the reason in Field 25: Employment Status and the date in Field 26: Date of Termination of Employment, along with the appropriate fields for the assignment code of the employee. Q: How does a district obtain help with a vendor's software? A: For districts using personnel management software, please contact your vendor with questions regarding software problems. Staff members at CEPI are not familiar with the various software packages utilized by the districts. Q: What is meant by a warning message? A: A warning message is an informational message stating that one or more data elements reported for a given record meet the edit requirements, but may contain inconsistencies, discrepancies or errors. A record that receives a warning message will be saved. Warning messages are tools for helping improve data quality in your data submission and provide opportunities for districts to review the data elements submitted to ensure accuracy. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 5 of 34

6 PIC Search Q: What is the PIC? A: The Personnel Identification Code (PIC) is a unique identifier assigned by the REP to every school employee. The PIC is created using core identifiers: name, Social Security number, date of birth and gender. The PIC is comparable to the student Unique Identification Code (UIC). Q: What is the PIC Search feature within the REP Application? A: The PIC Search feature within the REP Application was developed to enable district authorized users to obtain PICs for employees at any time throughout the school year. The REP PIC Search allows authorized users to obtain PICs for staff members, and to look up an existing PIC by name, Social Security number or credential number, or by the PIC itself. Q: Where is the PIC Search feature located? A: The PIC Search is located within the REP Application. A link can be found on the REP Main Menu. Only authorized users may access the application. Q: Where does a district obtain a teacher's PIC number? A: The teacher's PIC number comes from the REP Application. The REP includes a PIC lookup feature. This feature allows a REP authorized user to search for a PIC using core field information, including the Social Security number or credential number. This functionality is available outside of the regular REP collection window so a PIC can be obtained when a new employee enters the district. Unless you are already a REP authorized user, you must complete a REP security agreement to have access to this service. Access the security agreement at: Q: What security access is required for the PIC Search? A: There are three levels of security access to the REP PIC Search feature which your district superintendent/chief administrator may select for an individual user: 1. REP authorized user (full access to REP Application and REP PIC Search) 2. PIC search authorized user (access to look up and create new PICs) 3. PIC search view only (access to look up PICs) Access the security agreement at: Because confidential data are utilized in this application, it is important that superintendents/chief administrators only authorize access to users who may view confidential data. Q: If an individual already has a MEIS account, can it be used for the PIC Search? A: Yes; however, the appropriate security agreement form must be submitted to access the PIC Service. Current REP authorized users are not required to submit an additional security agreement to access the PIC Service. Q: Are reports available to obtain all of the PICs for a district? A: Yes. Two REP reports provide authorized users with a list of all the PICs for current staff members as reported in the REP by each district. Authorized users may download and save these reports to their local computers. 1) Download REP Data File 2) Employee Listing by District Find more information about these reports in the REP User's Guide and the PIC Search User's Guide located on the REP Web page under REP Help and Resources at: EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 6 of 34

7 Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS)/Teacher Verification Website Q: What is the name of the Michigan Department of Education's Teacher Certification Database? A: The name of the system is Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). The Office of Professional Preparation Services (OPPS), Michigan Department of Education (MDE) oversees this application. Q: How does a district obtain information about MOECS? A: Information including Frequently Asked Questions, log in information, training videos, etc., are available on the OPPS, MDE's website at: Q: What is the link to the Teacher Verification Website? A: The link is: Q: What information may be obtained on the Teacher Verification Website? A: The teacher verification website is a public site where an individual may obtain information about a teacher s certification status. The data available includes the following: certificate number, certificate type, program, issue and expiration dates, subject and grade level. MEIS Account Q: If an authorized user has a change, such as an address or phone number, is it necessary to update the MEIS account information? A: Yes. messages are sent to all authorized users of an application. Therefore, it is imperative to keep the address current in your MEIS account. It is sometimes necessary for the state to contact an authorized user by telephone; therefore, this number must be kept current as well. To update for either an address or a phone number, please do the following: 1. Update MEIS account at: a. Click on "Access an Existing MEIS Account." b. Log in as a MEIS User. c. Click on "View/Update User Profile." d. Click edit, make changes, and then click on update. e. Click on "Return to the MEIS Main Menu." f. Log out of MEIS. Q: If an authorized user has a name change, is it necessary to update the MEIS account information? A: Yes. A name change affects security access to an application. Users are only allowed to log in as the individual named on the security agreement. If an individual user has a name change, the individual must do the following: 1. Create a new MEIS account (at 2. Complete and submit the appropriate security agreement(s) for the CEPI application(s) for which the user has authorization. Access the REP security agreement at: 3. Complete and submit a "Center for Educational Performance and Information and Michigan Department of Education Application User Removal Request Form" to close the former MEIS account (issued with the prior name). Access the User Removal Request Form at: EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 7 of 34

8 Bulk Submission Q: After a file has been uploaded through the bulk submission process, how does the district obtain a copy of the error report? A: You should receive an confirmation after your file has been processed. At the main menu of the REP Application, click on "Bulk Submission Status," and then click on your file. You are able to download the report. The table found on the website lists the dates and times when you have submitted files via the REP Bulk Submission along with the status of each file. A status of "Queued" means that your file has been received and is waiting to be processed. A status of "Processing" means that your file is currently being processed. A status of "Completed" means that your file has been processed. You can review your status report by clicking on the date and time you uploaded the file when the status changes to Completed. The date and time are displayed as an active hyperlink. These files are listed as links in blue text. You may click on these links to retrieve the Bulk Upload Error Report from your upload file. When you click on the hyperlinked date and time, you have the opportunity to review your error report in an application that reads text files (e.g., Notepad) or to save the file to your hard drive. Q: If the district does not receive an confirmation for a bulk submission, what happened? A: If your system does not receive REP bulk messages, please log in to the REP site and click on the "REP Bulk Submission Status" menu option to check the status of your file. Please see the previous question for specifics about the bulk submission processing. Q: Does the REP database update partial data from a record that has errors listed on the error report? A: No. Only records that are complete and error-free are uploaded into the REP database. All required fields must be reported. Partially submitted records are not updated in the REP database. Q: If corrections are made through the REP Single Submission Online Application based on the error messages in the Bulk Upload Error Report, will the uploaded file also be updated with the corrections? A: No. The corrections must be made to the upload file itself at the district level. After the corrections are made to the upload file, the district may upload the file again through the Bulk Upload process. Q: If a district receives an error status report stating: "NO ERRORS FOUND. All records submitted in this file have been successfully processed and saved," does this mean that the district's submission is complete? A: When a district user checks the "Bulk Submission Status," the following message will be received if the file is error-free (no error found when file was processed): "NO ERRORS FOUND." All records submitted in this file have been successfully processed and saved." This message indicates that the records uploaded in the file have been processed and saved. It does not mean that the district's submission is complete. Please be sure to check the Personnel Submitted Report to determine if all records (new and previously submitted) have also been updated. For a submission to be considered complete, all records must have green check marks. For more information, please refer to the FAQ section entitled "Personnel Submitted Report." Q: Is there a required file name when uploading the data? A: Yes. When uploading the data, the file name must end with.txt or.txt. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 8 of 34

9 Q: Can a district make changes or additions on the REP online application after the file has been transmitted via the bulk upload application? A: Yes. District users may go online after the upload process to make additions or corrections to the data submitted through the upload process until the submission due date. Credential Data Exchange (CDX) and Credential Information The CDX has been removed from the REP Application and is part of the MDE s Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). For more information about the MOECS application you may go to the website at: REP Access and Security Agreements Q: What is the REP security agreement? A: The REP security agreement is required to obtain online access to the application. The form must be filled out and signed by the user seeking access to the application. The signature of the applicant's lead administrator as entered in the Educational Entity Master (EEM) is also required. Submission of the REP security agreement will provide access to the REP Application. Information about the security agreement is available at: Q: How do districts access the REP Application? A: District users access the REP Application through CEPI's website at Click on "CEPI Applications" and then click on "Registry of Educational Personnel." The individual seeking access must first have an MEIS account and password and then complete and submit a REP security agreement to obtain access. Q: Can more than one person from a district submit a security agreement for the REP? A: Yes. With appropriate approval from the superintendent/chief administrator, a district may have more than one authorized user. Q: Can more than one person from a district access the REP simultaneously? A: Yes. More than one person may access the REP at the same time. Q: If a REP authorized user leaves the district, how does the district remove security access for the authorized user in the REP Application? A: To remove an authorized user's access to an MEIS application such as the REP, the district is required to submit a SSO/MEIS Authorized User Removal Request form to CEPI customer support. The form is available at the following website: Reporting of Employees Q: Which employees must be reported in the REP? A: Effective January 1, 2006, Michigan law requires that criminal history checks be conducted by the Michigan State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for all regular and contract employees hired or assigned by public schools in Michigan. Therefore, all school districts in the state of Michigan are required by statute to submit all school personnel data to the state via the Registry of Educational Personnel so that the checks may be conducted. As a guideline, if an individual is employed or contracted by the school, they need to be reported in REP. Unpaid volunteers do not need to be reported in REP. Individuals who provide services such as roof repairs, furnace maintenance, serve as guest speakers, or other sporadic or intermittent services are not required to be reported in the REP at this time. (Source: MDE, OPPS) EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 9 of 34

10 Q: How are employees reported when a district is on the trimester system? A: Report the employees' assignments for the first trimester in the Fall REP Submission; report the second and third trimester assignments in the End-of-Year (EOY) REP Submission. When reporting trimester classes in the EOY REP Submission, districts are to count each core academic class separately. For example, if a teacher is assigned to one English class in the fall semester, report "1" for the number of classes taught. If a teacher is assigned to one English class in semesters two and three, report "2" for the number of classes taught. For teachers assigned to elementary education, the count remains "1" for the number of classes taught for the fall and EOY REP Submission. Note: If a district s second trimester begins prior to the close of the Fall REP Submission, report all staff members employed on the Date of Count for the Fall Submission. (Source: MDE, OPPS) Reporting of Special Education Teachers Q: How do I report special education teachers? A: All special education teachers are to be reported based upon the subject area taught. The following guidelines have been provided by the Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services (OSE-EIS) at MDE: Birth to age 5 special education Report "60200", "60300" or "60400" for early childhood classrooms (dependent upon the teacher and assignment): "60200" Early Childhood Classroom Teacher - Bachelor's Degree in Child Development "60300" Elementary Certified Teacher - Valid Michigan Teacher Certificate with an Early Childhood Endorsement (ZA or ZS) "60400" Elementary Certified Teacher - Valid Michigan Teacher Certificate with a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Elementary/Middle School Report "000ZG" (Elementary Education) for K-8 self-contained classrooms or subjectspecific assignment codes such as "000BA" English or "000EX" Mathematics when specific subject areas are taught. This would typically be in a middle school setting grades 6-8. High school to age 26 Report the specific subject area assignments when appropriate, such as "000BA" (English) or "000EX" (Mathematics): Report "00197" for classrooms where all students in that class period are assessed by alternate achievement standards. Report "00196" non-core academic classes such as transition skills. Refer to the REP Data Field Descriptions for the complete description of codes "00196" and "00197". Highly Qualified Status Report highly qualified status for any teacher assigned to a core academic subject area such as elementary education, English or Mathematics. Refer to the REP Data Field Descriptions for a complete list of the core academic subject areas. Educational Setting Report the appropriate Special Education Age Group Educational Setting in Field 10. FTE (Full-time Equivalency) Report the FTE as appropriate for each assignment code reported. Accounting Function Code All special education classroom teachers should use accounting function code "122". Number of Classes Taught Report as appropriate for each assignment code reported. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 10 of 34

11 Reporting of Substitute Employees Q: Which substitute employees must be reported in the REP? A: All full-time, part-time, contracted and substitute employees must be reported in the REP regardless of the assignment code or FTE. This includes substitute teachers, substitute support staff, secretaries, bus drivers, janitors, etc. For example, if the school secretary's position is being filled by a substitute employee while the secretary is out on sick leave, the substitute must be reported. Report the appropriate assignment code for the position being covered by the substitute. Q: If the ISD employs day-to-day substitute teachers for the districts within the ISD, are individual districts required to report the day-to-day substitute teachers or does the ISD report them? A: If the day-to-day substitute teachers are employed and paid by the ISD, then the ISD reports the day-to-day substitute teachers in the REP. If the ISD reports the day-to-day substitute teachers, the individual districts do not report them. LEAs and PSAs must ensure that their ISD has reported the day-to-day substitutes that work in their respective districts if they do not intend to include them in the LEA/PSA reporting. (MDE, OPPS) Q: If a district utilizes a private company for day-to-day substitute teachers, are districts required to report them in the REP? A: Yes. When a district contracts for day-to-day substitute teachers through a private company, the district is required to report the day-to-day substitute teachers in the REP Submission. The district is ultimately responsible for the substitute teachers utilized by the district; therefore, the district must report them in the REP. The private company cannot report data to the REP for the district. Q: What information is available about the use of substitute teaching permits? A: Specific information about teaching permits is available on the MDE website at the following link: Q: Are the contracted substitute, full or part-time employees reported in the REP? A: Yes. Report all contracted substitute, full or part-time employees in the REP for the duration of time they are employed by the district. If a contract employee leaves the district and is not expected to return, report the termination code in Field 25: Employment Status and the date of termination in Field 26: Date of Termination. Q: What is the definition of a day-to-day substitute teacher? A: A day-to-day substitute is an individual employed by the district to serve in short-term assignments that are less than one semester in length. Therefore, a school district can employ a person under a substitute permit as long as the assignment is less than one semester. These employees are considered day-to-day substitute teachers. (Source: MDE, OPPS) Q: Is there a unique assignment code for reporting day-to-day substitute teachers and day-today substitute paraprofessional/aides? A: Yes. Assignment code "00SUB" was created for day-to-day substitute teachers and assignment code "00PAR" was created for day-to-day substitute paraprofessional/aides. Q: What is the definition of a long-term substitute teacher? A: A long-term substitute teacher is an individual employed as a regular or contract appointee to a single classroom or assignment for one semester or more. (Source: MDE, OPPS) EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 11 of 34

12 Q: Is there a unique assignment code for reporting long-term substitute teachers? A: No. District users are to report the assignment code for the position held by the long-term substitute teacher. For example, if the long-term substitute is assigned to a mathematics classroom, the assignment code would be "000EX." Q: Are districts required to report the permit number for day-to-day or long-term substitute teachers as assigned by MDE's teacher certification database MOECS? A: No. District users must report the Social Security number for these employees. The permit numbers may be reported; however, the permit numbers expire each school year. Q: Is it acceptable for a district to submit a bulk upload file of just the day-to-day substitute teachers so that they may be stored in a separate file within the district's system? A: Yes. A district may upload multiple files as long as all school personnel are reported in the REP submission. When uploading the data, the file name must end with.txt or.txt. Q: Is it possible to submit day-to-day substitute teachers online? A: Yes. A district may enter the day-to-day substitute teachers via the REP Single Submission Online Application. Non-Instructional Assignment Codes Q: In reporting a non-instructional staff member, can the district report an original assignment code and a consolidated assignment code for the same employee? A: Yes; programming edits will not be affected if you select codes from both columns in your submission. However, take caution so you do not double report assignments for one individual. Q: Why is there not a consolidated assignment code for all original assignment codes for noninstructional employees? A: The consolidated codes were developed to streamline the reporting of non-instructional staff members and align with federal reports. Some positions still require a unique code in order to meet federal or state requirements. If a consolidated assignment code is not listed for an assignment description, use the original code. Programming edits will not be affected if you select codes from both columns in your submission. Q: When updating current non-instructional employees, are all fields required to be reported? A: If reporting with the minimal number of fields, please follow the information outlined in Appendix A, in the REP Data Field Descriptions. When reporting a full submission, all fields must be reported as required for the assignment code reported in Field 10. Q In reporting non-instructional employees, why is an error reported when the grade or educational setting is not submitted in the record? A: For assignments codes "81500" through "99900" that are reported with all fields, a fatal error will be reported if the grade level and educational setting are invalid or blank. (See Appendix A, in the REP Data Field Descriptions for complete reporting instructions.) Reporting of Other Categories of Employees Q: Are districts required to report school board members? A: School board members do not have to be reported in the REP because they are elected officials for the district. (Source: MDE, OPPS) Q: Are districts required to report student workers? A: If a student is working in the same school or a similar school to that which he/she attends, such as a high school student working in a high school, then the student does not need to be reported. If EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 12 of 34

13 the student is working in a school different from the one that he/she attends, such as a high school student working in a middle or elementary school, then he/she must be reported in the REP. Student workers under age 17 do not need to be reported. For further information regarding this topic, please contact Krista Ried at [email protected] (Source: MDE, OPPS) Q: Are districts required to report individuals who provide services to students and are paid through accounts payable? A: Yes. All school employees must be reported in the REP. The method of payment does not determine who is reported. Q: Are districts required to report coaches in the REP? A: Yes. If any form of compensation is provided to the coach, he/she must be reported in the REP. (Source: MDE, OPPS) Q: If a district hires a company to complete repairs such as furnace, roofing, etc., is the district required to report the outside company's employees in the REP? A: No. Individuals who provide services such as roof repairs, furnace maintenance, or other sporadic or intermittent services are not required to be reported in the REP at this time. Q: Are districts required to report paid employees such as lifeguards, costume makers, lunchroom aides, part-time cooks, coaches, crossing guards, custodians, bus aides, building monitors, etc.? A: Yes. All school personnel must be reported in the REP regardless of the FTE count. Q: Are districts required to report summer employees? Does the School Safety Legislation include summer employees? A: Yes. Summer employees must be reported in the REP to meet the requirements of the School Safety Legislation. For the EOY Submission, this would include employees who are hired through June 30 each year. All other summer employees hired July 1 or after would be reported in the Fall Submission each year. (Source: OPPS, MDE) Q: Are districts required to submit volunteers in the REP? A: No. At the current time, volunteers are not included in the School Safety Legislation. Q: Are districts required to report adult education staff? A: Yes. Districts are required to report adult education personnel. Q: If a staff member is only employed during the fall each school year (such as a football coach), how should the district report the staff member in the EOY submission of the REP? A: For the EOY submission, report code "99" (returning employee, new non-instructional employee, new experienced teacher, substitute, contractor or employee on leave) in Field 25: Employment Status. In Field 12: Funded Position Status, report code "3" (funded, employee on loan or leave, no one assigned). Report all other fields as appropriate for the assignment code reported in Field 10: School Assignment Data. Q: Are districts required to submit student teachers in the REP? A: No. However, if the student teacher is employed by the district (such as a day-to-day substitute teacher), then the district must report the student teacher as an employee. Q: Where is the document Assignment Code to Subject Area Information from MDE located? A: The Assignment Code to Subject Area information has been moved from Field 10 School Assignment Data to Appendix B in the REP Data Field Descriptions. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 13 of 34

14 Reporting of Terminated/Retired Employees Q: When a staff member leaves the district, is the district required to report the termination? A: Yes. Any staff member who terminates or retires from a district must be reported in the REP by submitting the reason for termination in Field 25: Employment Status, codes "00" through "19", and the termination date in Field 26: Date of Termination of Employment. In addition to these two fields, all other fields appropriate for the assignment code submitted in Field 10: School Assignment Data must be submitted accurately. Staff members who retired in previous school years and still appear on the REP Personnel Submitted Report must be terminated. These terminations can be submitted through the REP Single Submission Online Application. After each submission cycle closes, all personnel records submitted with termination dates will be removed from your file in the REP database and will no longer appear on the Personnel Submitted Report. (For districts that use the Bulk Upload Application, be sure to remove the retirees/terminations from your upload file prior to the next submission cycle so that you do not re-upload the retired/terminated personnel into the REP database.) Personnel Submitted Report/Complete Submission Q: What is the Personnel Submitted Report? What do the red "Xs" and green "check marks" mean? A: The Personnel Submitted Report lists all employees reported successfully for your district for the current submission cycle, as well as those employees who were reported in a previous submission and were not updated/verified. This report can be found on the Main Menu of the REP Single Submission Online Application. It is important that you verify/update all of your employees during each submission cycle. When the submission begins, all previously submitted employees have red "Xs" next to their names. After a record has been updated/verified, the red "X" changes to a green "check mark." When all employees have green "check marks" in the Personnel Submitted Report and all new personnel have been submitted, your submission is complete. There are two items in the report heading of the Personnel Submitted Report that you should check carefully to determine that all of your previously submitted records have been updated: 1. Records updated for this submission cycle. Total 2. Records not yet updated for this submission cycle. Total Be sure that the total for No. 2 is "0" by the due date for each submission cycle. School Nurse For specific information regarding School Nurse Certification, contact the Office of Professional Preparation Services at (517) Q Are school nurses required to hold a Michigan School Nurse Certificate? A: Yes. School nurses are required to hold a School Nurse Certificate. Nurse Certification is handled by MDE, OPPS at (517) When either assignment code "000NY" School Nurse or "00384" Registered Nurse (Special Education assignment) is used in Field 10: School Assignment Data to report the assignment for the nurse, Field 17: Type of Credential must have a correct Nurse Certification Code. The codes are as follows: "50" School Nurse Certificate (Interim), "51" School Nurse Certificate (Standard) or "52" School Nurse Certificate (Professional). Q: What types of School Nurse Certificates are available? A: There are three levels of School Nurse Certificates: Interim School Nurse Certificate EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 14 of 34

15 Standard School Nurse Certificate Professional School Nurse Certificate Q: How can a district verify if a nurse has School Nurse Certification? A: School Nurse Certification can be verified at the teacher verification website: Q: What assignment code should be used in Field 10: School Assignment Data for a School Nurse? A: Either the assignment code "000NY" for General Education Students or "00384" for Special Education students is used in Field 10 to report the assignment for the school nurse. Q: What code should be reported in Field 17: Type of Credential for a School Nurse if the employee does not have a valid nurse certificate? A: If the School Nurse Credential is pending, report a code "02" (pending) in Field 17. A Social Security number is required in Field 7: Social Security Number. Q: Can a district report the school nurse assignment code (000NY) with a bilingual program code such as YA0NY? A: No. The school nurse assignment code cannot be reported with a bilingual program code. See Field 10 of the REP Data Field Descriptions for complete information about the reporting of bilingual programs. Paraprofessionals/Aides Q: What is the difference between an instructional and non-instructional paraprofessional/aide? A: The Office of Special Education and the OPPS, MDE, have provided definitions for instructional and non-instructional paraprofessionals/aides: Instructional paraprofessionals/aides are defined as individuals who provide instructional support, including those who: 1. provide one-on-one tutoring, if such tutoring is scheduled at a time when a student would not otherwise receive instruction from a teacher; 2. assist with classroom management, such as organizing instructional and other materials; 3. provide instructional assistance in a computer laboratory; 4. conduct parental involvement activities; 5. provide support in a library or media center; 6. act as a translator or 7. provide instructional support services under the direct supervision of a teacher. A non-instructional paraprofessional/aide is defined as someone who works in areas such as the following: food services, cafeteria or playground supervision, personal care services and noninstructional computer assistance. Q: How may paraprofessionals/aides qualify for the NCLB requirements? A: Paraprofessionals can meet the NCLB requirements by one of the following methods: Possess an associate degree or higher Complete two years of college credit (60 semester hours) Take and pass one of these approved tests: o Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Basic Skills o WorkKeys Tests o The ETS ParaPro Test EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 15 of 34

16 Complete a portfolio to demonstrate qualifications o Complete at the local level o Record of completion is maintained by the district. For more information regarding the paraprofessional/aide requirements, contact MDE, OPPS at (517) Field 1: Date of Count Q: What is the date of count for the EOY 2015 REP Submission to be used in Field 1: Date of Count? A: Districts must use June 30, 2015 (06/30/2015) as the Date of Count for the EOY 2015 REP Submission. Field 2: Operating ISD/ESA Number Field 3: Operating District Number Field 4: Last Name Q: How does a district change the name of a staff member if the person marries or if an error was made in a previous submission? A: Corrections to previously submitted data such as name, birthdate, gender, Social Security number or credential number may be made through the REP Single Submission Online Application. For districts that use the Bulk Upload Application, the PIC number must be used if changes are made to the employee's name, gender, Social Security number or credential number. If the Personnel Identification Code (PIC) number is not used in the Bulk Upload file, a duplicate record will be created. All corrections to birthdates must be made through the REP Single Submission Online Application. Q: Is it acceptable to use a punctuation mark such as a comma "," after a name before a title such as Jr.? A: All punctuation must be removed from first, middle and last names, or a fatal error will be reported. Field 5: First Name Q: Is it acceptable to use a punctuation mark such as a comma "," after a name? A: All punctuation must be removed from first, middle and last names, or a fatal error will be reported. Field 6: Middle Name Q: Is it acceptable to use a middle initial followed by a period in Field 6: Middle Name rather than a complete name? A: All punctuation must be removed from first, middle and last names, or a fatal error will be reported. Field 7: Social Security Number Q: Either a Social Security number or a credential license number is required for assignment codes with numbers between "000AX" and "00598". Does this mean that all other personnel ("60000" to "99900") may be reported by name with no relational number such as the Social Security number? EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 16 of 34

17 A: A Social Security number or credential license number is required for instructional staff with assignment code numbers between "000AX" and "00598". A Social Security number is required for all other employees with assignment codes "60000" through "99900". Q: If an error was made in reporting a Social Security number in a previous submission, how is a correction made? A: Corrections to previously submitted data such as name, birthdate, gender, Social Security number or credential number may be made through the REP Single Submission Online Application. For districts that use the Bulk Upload Application, the PIC number must be used if changes are made to the employee's name, gender, Social Security number or credential number. If the PIC number is not used in the Bulk Upload file, a duplicate record will be created. All corrections to birthdates must be made through the REP Single Submission Online Application. Q: If a Social Security number is invalid as listed in the teacher certification database MOECS, how is a correction made to the database? A: Please verify that the Social Security number in your personnel system is correct. If the number is correct, the problem may be an incorrect Social Security number in MOECS (the teacher certification database). To correct this problem, please do the following: 1. Enlarge the Social Security card (for easier reading when faxed). 2. Fax a copy of the Social Security card to the Office of Professional Preparation Services at (517) , indicating the potential problem. An OPPS staff member will make the correction in the database so that the record can be submitted. Field 8: Credential License Number Q: How can a district verify teachers' credential numbers? A: Teachers' credential numbers may be verified on the Teacher Verification website at Q: How does the district obtain credential numbers for the certificates that cannot be located through the teacher certification website? A: For any teacher for whom the district cannot obtain a credential number, the district should contact MDE's OPPS at (517) Q: How are credential numbers of fewer than 15 digits entered into the REP? A: You may use whatever credential digit-length you are given from MDE. The REP Application will accept any digit length for a valid credential number. Credential numbers submitted in the REP must match exactly with the teacher certification database, MOECS. Also, the credential number submitted must be for a valid credential. Q: Does the credential number have to match exactly with MOECS for the record to be accepted by the REP Application? A: Yes. The credential number must be submitted exactly as it appears in MOECS, or a fatal error will be reported. Q: Can a district user report either capital (O) or zero (0) in a credential number? A: No. The credential number must be submitted exactly as it appears in MOECS. There is a difference between a capital (O) and a zero (0). If you look closely at the numbers on the Teacher Verification website, you will notice a difference between the two. The capital "O" is wider than the number zero (0), and the two are not interchangeable. The capital "O" often appears in the beginning of the credential number following a CC-; however, it may appear anywhere in the number. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 17 of 34

18 Q: If an error was made on a credential number in a previous submission, how is a correction made? A: Corrections to previously submitted data such as name, birthdate, gender, Social Security number or credential number may be made through the REP Single Submission Online Application. For districts that use the Bulk Upload Application, the PIC number must be used if changes are made to the employee's name, gender, Social Security number or credential number. If the PIC number is not used in the Bulk Upload file, a duplicate record will be created. All corrections to birthdates must be made through the REP Single Submission Online Application. Field 9: Date of Hire Q: What is considered the "initial date of hire" for the staff person? Is this the original date of hire in the district or the date of hire into the current position? A: The initial date of hire is the actual date the individual originally became employed by the district in any position. Q: If a staff member is on a leave of absence, is the original date of hire retained when they return to work? A: Yes. The original date of hire is retained when a staff member returns to work after being on a leave of absence. A new date of hire would be entered only if there was an official separation from the school district prior to the return to work. Field 10: School Assignment Data (Grade, FTE, Wage, Accounting/Function Code, Highly Qualified Status, Academic Major, Academic Minor, Administrator Continuing Education and Number of Classes Taught) School/Facility Number Q: How do the districts obtain the school/facility codes? A: The school/facility codes are obtained through the EEM at Q: Whose responsibility is it to update the EEM for a district? A: All districts are required to have one or more EEM authorized user(s) who will be responsible for updating the data about the district. Q: Does the REP check the school/facility codes submitted in the REP? A: Yes. All school/facility codes submitted are verified with the EEM. A fatal error will be reported if an invalid number is used. If a district submits a school/facility code that is assigned to another district, a warning message will occur. Q: Is the bus garage required to have a separate number in the EEM? A: No. A district does not need a separate EEM number for a bus garage. The district user may submit the administrative code ("00000") for the employees of the bus garage or request a number for the bus garage, if desired. Q: What school code number should be reported for the central administrative office staff? A: District users should submit "00000" for the central administrative office staff. Q: If the district has staff members who are working in more than one school/facility, should the assignment be reported for each school/facility? A: When possible, report each assignment by school/facility. District users may submit up to nine entries in Field 10: School Assignment Data requirement for each position. Please note that the use of the code "00000" is primarily for the superintendent and other administrative staff EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 18 of 34

19 members. Districts are asked to report instructional staff members' assignment(s) in each school/facility where the staff members are assigned. Code "00000" should only be used for nonadministrative staff members when they are assigned to more than nine schools/facilities. Q. If the district has core academic instructional staff members who are working in more than one school/facility, should the assignment be reported for each school/facility? What if they are working at more than nine assignments? A: District users may submit up to nine entries in Field 10: School Assignment Data requirement for each position. Districts are asked to report core academic instructional staff member's assignment(s) in each school/facility where the staff member is assigned. Code "00000" should only be used for non-administrative staff members when they are assigned to more than nine schools/facilities. Q: What is the definition of a school? A: School: A public school is an administrative unit (not necessarily a physical building) that provides instruction to students. It is operated by a primarily publicly funded education entity such as MDE, an intermediate school district (ISD), a local education agency (LEA) or a public school academy (PSA), and has ALL of the following characteristics: An administrator (principal) who reports directly to the entity's chief executive officer (e.g., superintendent). Teachers responsible for educating a specific set of students. Students Receives a state-issued Michigan School Report Card. (MDE annually makes a determination of Adequate Yearly Progress [AYP] for all public elementary schools, middle schools and high schools in Michigan. AYP evaluates schools and school districts in the areas of academic achievement, participation in state assessment, graduation rate for high schools and student attendance for elementary and middle schools.) School for all other entities (State Agency, Nonpublic, Higher Education, Other) would be defined as: an administrative unit (not necessarily a physical building) that provides instruction to pupils and has the following characteristics: Administrator Teachers Students Q: What is the definition of a Shared Educational Entity (SEE) and Specialized Shared Educational Entity (S2E2)? A: Shared Educational Entity (SEE) and Specialized Shared Educational Entity (S2E2): A SEE or an S2E2 is formed when two or more districts cooperate to provide educational services to a group of students and the member districts agree to participate in the "sending scores back" policy. A SEE (school) provides those educational services in a single location. An S2E2 (not a school) provides those educational services in multiple classrooms inside of existing schools. (MDE September, 2011) Q: What is the definition of a Unique Education Provider (UEP)? A: Unique Education Provider: A unique education provider (UEP) is not a school; however, it provides instructional services to children before kindergarten, supplemental instruction, support education for grade levels pre-k through 12, or adult education services. Generally it has: Administrator, supervisor, coordinator or director who reports to a principal or another administrator. Teachers who may have special endorsements beyond those normally required for pre-k through 12. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 19 of 34

20 Students who are selected to attend or are referred by another public agency/school. Students who are not necessarily in full-time attendance. The location does not administer state assessments: MEAP, MME, MI-Access and/or ELPA, but may administer other state assessments. The location does not offer a Michigan Merit diploma (if grades 9-12). A location which supplements or is a primary legal entity receiving funds through MDE (e.g., nonpublic school, other state agency, higher education institution or other recipient of funds through MDE). Q: What is the definition of a Non-Instructional Ancillary Facility (NIAF)? A: Non-Instructional Ancillary Facility (NIAF): This entity does not provide instruction* but is affiliated with the LEA, ISD, PSA, State or Other and does receive an entity code for reporting purposes. Examples: entities serving as a bus garage, transportation center, plant/maintenance facility, administrative support, food service, communications/media, sports/recreation, health services, family/community center, professional training center, agriscience/natural resources center or treatment center. *Exception: Specialized Shared Educational Entities (S2E2s) may be labeled as Non-Instructional Ancillary Facilities. An S2E2 provides educational services in multiple classrooms inside of existing schools as opposed to a single location. Two or more districts enter into a cooperative agreement to provide such services. For more information about S2E2s, go to (Definitions: Michigan Department of Education May, 2008; CEPI Revision November 2011) Assignment Codes Q: What assignment code does a district use for a Career and Technical Education health occupations teacher? A: There are four assignment codes in the Health Science Category. Select the most appropriate for the curriculum taught in the course: "00580" Therapeutic Services "00581" Diagnostic Services "00582" Health Informatics "00583" Biotechnology Medical Sciences Q: What is the difference between assignments codes "000ZZ" Alternative Education (selfcontained classroom) and "000ZY" Alternative Education (self-contained, Facilitator of Instruction)? A: Assignment code "000ZZ" should be reported when direct instruction is provided in core and noncore academic subject areas to the same group of students throughout the day by one certified teacher. Assignment code "000ZY" should be reported when direct instruction is not provided by the classroom teacher. The teacher serves as a facilitator of instruction. The instruction is provided by other certified teacher(s) by means of distance learning or by use of Nova net. (MDE, OPPS) Q: What assignment code would be reported for a teacher who is the local monitor for a virtual class (online coursework)? (Instruction is not provided, only monitoring of the classroom.) A: The correct assignment code to use for a teacher who monitors a virtual class is assignment code "000ZW" (Facilitator of Instruction). Highly qualified status is not required for this assignment code. (Source: MDE, OPPS) EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 20 of 34

21 Q: What assignment code would be reported for a current events class? Do teachers need to be highly qualified to teach current events? A: Report the assignment code for the subject area in which the teacher has received his/her social studies endorsement. Any endorsement in social studies or an area within social studies qualifies a teacher to provide instruction in current events. For example, if the teacher is certified in social studies, then report assignment code "000RX". If the teacher is certified in history, then report assignment code "000CC". If the teacher is certified in economics, then report assignment code "000CA". The assignment code reported should match the teacher's certification. Reporting of highly qualified status is required for the class because the subject falls within the social studies category. (Source: Krista Ried, MDE, OPPS) Q: How are special education administrators reported in the REP? A: Administrators' assignment codes are determined by titles, levels and functions of the positions held by the staff members. For example, a director of special education for a school district would be reported with the following assignment code: "75261" (Title: "75", Director; Level: "2", District; Function: "61", Special Education). More information regarding the reporting of administrator assignment codes can be found in the REP Data Field Descriptions. Q: What type of staff must be reported for each submission? A: All educational staff must be reported. This includes all assignment codes with numbers between "000AX" and "99900". Q: Why are data being collected on non-instructional personnel? A: This information is required as part of federal legislation, The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), as well as Michigan's School Safety Legislation. The REP was developed to provide a complete set of data about teachers, administrators, support staff and non-instructional personnel to meet state and federal reporting requirements. Q: What assignment codes are district users to report for middle school teachers? A: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires teachers in core academic areas to be highly qualified. The intent of the law (NCLB) is to ensure that each teacher of a core academic subject has sufficient subject-matter knowledge and skills to instruct effectively in his or her assigned subjects, regardless of how the school is configured. In order to obtain the middle school assignment-code data, it has become necessary to require reporting of specific subject-area assignments for all middle school teachers, instead of reporting the generic middle school/middlelevel assignments. For further information or questions regarding middle school assignments, contact Krista Ried at [email protected]. Q: What is the difference between endorsement codes "ZD" (Middle School) and "ZL" (Middle Level) when they appear on a teacher certificate? A: A "ZD" or a "ZL" endorsement on an elementary or secondary teaching certificate indicates that a teacher has completed specific preparation to teach in middle schools. For elementary teachers, it extends the grades that can be taught according to his/her other (content) endorsements up to (including) grade 9. Secondary teachers who also hold the middle-level endorsement can extend the grades where they can teach according to their other (content) endorsements down to (including) grade 5. The "ZL" replaced the "ZD" after specific preparation standards were adopted in (Source: MDE, OPPS) Q: What assignment code should be reported for elementary teachers? A: Districts are to use the "000ZG" (K-5 all subjects; K-8 all subjects, self-contained) for elementary classroom teachers. The "000ZG" should be used unless the teacher is assigned to a single subject area, such as math ("000EX") or English ("000BA"). If teachers are assigned to single subjects, you should report the subject assignment(s) for the positions and divide the FTE accordingly. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 21 of 34

22 Q: What is the difference between assignment codes "00192" Speech/Language Impaired, "00290" Teacher of Speech/Language Impaired Non-Classroom Program or "00292" Speech Pathologist with a Certificate of Clinical Competence in a non-classroom setting? A: Report assignment codes "00192", "00290" and "00292" as follows: "00192" Speech/Language Impaired Classroom All Subjects: Report this assignment code when the speech and language impaired teacher is assigned to a self-contained classroom where all subjects are taught to speech/language impaired students. Highly qualified status must be reported. "00290" Teacher of Speech/Language Impaired Non-Classroom Program: Report this assignment when the students are part of a pull-out program and the teacher works with the students one-on-one. Highly qualified status is not required. "00292" Speech Pathologist with a Certificate of Clinical Competence in a Non-Classroom Setting: Report this assignment when the students are part of a pull out program and the teacher works with the students one-on-one and the teacher holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence. Highly qualified status is not required. Teachers reported with assignment codes "00192" and "00290" should be certificate teachers and hold a Special Education endorsement in Speech and Language Impaired. Q: How are the School Psychologists and Speech/Language Impaired positions reported in Field 10: School Assignment Data and Field 17: Type of Credential? A: School Psychologist (MDE endorsement code "SG") for Field 10: School Assignment Data - use code "00320"; Field 17: Type of Credential - use code "61" (School Psychologist) or code "62" (Preliminary School Psychologist). Speech and Language Impaired (MDE endorsement code "SB") Field 10: School Assignment Data - use code "00192", "00290" or "00292", Field 17: Type of Credential - use the code for the type of credential held by the teacher such as code "03" (Elementary Provisional) or code "72" (Certificate of Clinical Competence). Q: Field 10 allows for repetition of data for employees with multiple assignments. What default values are used for unused repetitions of this data? For example, if a staff member has one assignment, the first 45 bytes of Field 10 are used. What are in the remaining 405 bytes in this field? A: Use blanks (no nulls). Q: How do districts report occupational therapists and speech therapists who are working under Certificate of Clinical Competence waivers, and school social workers who do not have license numbers from MDE? A: For staff members with assignment codes with numbers between "00310" and "00406" who do not have credential numbers, you may report Social Security numbers. If an individual holds a teaching credential, you may use that number. For a staff member who is using a Certificate of Clinical Competence waiver, report code "72" (Certificate of Clinical Competence) in Field 17: Type of Credential. Q: In reporting a non-instructional staff member, can the district report an original assignment code and a consolidated assignment code for the same employee? A: Yes; programming edits will not be affected if you select codes from both columns in your submission. However, take caution so you do not double report assignments for one individual. Q: Will there be a consolidated assignment code for all original assignment codes for noninstructional employees? A: No. The consolidated codes were developed to streamline the reporting of non-instructional staff members and align with federal reports; however, some positions still require a unique code in EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 22 of 34

23 order to meet federal or state requirements. If a consolidated assignment code is not listed for an assignment description, use the original code. Programming edits will not be affected if you select codes from both columns in your submission. Q: When updating current non-instructional employees, are all fields required to be reported? A: If reporting with the minimal number of fields, please follow the information outlined in Appendix A of the REP Data Field Descriptions. When reporting a full submission, all fields must be reported as required for the assignment code reported in Field 10. Q: Where is the Assignment Code to Subject Area information from MDE located in the REP Data Field Descriptions? A: The Assignment Code to Subject Area information has been moved from Field 10: School Assignment Data to Appendix B in the REP Data Field Descriptions. Grade Level/Educational Setting Q: For the current grade assignment, does the district have to input the 21-digit code through the REP Single Submission Online Application, or will online data entry occur using dropdown or check-box choices? A: The REP Single Submission Online Application has check boxes for the grade level and a dropdown list for the educational settings. Q: How are middle-school grades determined? A: Middle-school grades are determined at the district level. Some districts consider middle school to be grades 5 through 9, while others may consider middle school to be grades 7 through 8 or 6 through 8. Q: In reporting non-instructional employees, why is there an error reported when the grade or educational setting is not submitted in the record? A: For assignments codes "81500" through "99900" that are reported with all fields, a fatal error will be reported if the grade level and educational setting are invalid or blank. (See Appendix A, in the REP Data Field Descriptions for complete reporting instructions.) Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) Q: Are the districts required to report every FTE? A: Districts are required to report FTE for all staff members (except day-to-day substitutes) regardless of the FTE. This includes assignment codes with numbers between "000AX" and "99900", except for assignment codes "00SUB" (day-to-day substitute teacher) and "00PAR" (day-to-day substitute paraprofessional/aide). Q: How does the district determine the FTE for a staff member? A: The FTE is determined based upon the contractual day or workday of a given employee. For example, if a teacher's workday is six hours, then six hours represents 1.0 FTE. If the teacher works half-time, or three hours a day, the FTE is 0.5. If a secretary works an eight-hour day, the eight hours equal 1.0 FTE, and four hours a day equal 0.5 FTE. Q: Can an FTE greater than 1.0 be reported? A: Yes. An FTE greater than (or less than) 1.0 FTE may be reported. An FTE cannot be greater than 2.0. Q: Do districts count additional FTE for full-time teachers who also teach adult education classes after regular school hours? EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 23 of 34

24 A: Yes. Since districts may report an FTE greater than 1.0 for employees (but not greater than 2.0), adult education classes may be reported for the teacher in this case. Q: Are districts required to report adult education teachers or alternative education teachers in the REP? A: Yes. Districts are required to report adult education personnel members, if they are employees of the school district, and alternative education personnel. For example, if a photographer rents space in the school/facility to offer a photography class to the community, he/she would not have to be reported in the REP. However, if the photographer is employed by the district to teach this class, he/she must be reported in the REP. (Source: MDE, OPPS) Q: If a district has a staff member who changes from full- to part-time below 0.5 FTE in assignment codes "81500" through "99900", should s/he be terminated? A: No. The record is to reflect the lower FTE. Districts are required to report all school employees, regardless of the FTE count. Q: Are all school personnel reported regardless of FTE count? A: Yes. All school personnel must be reported in the REP regardless of the FTE count. This includes all contracted and substitute staff members. Q: How should the FTE be calculated for school personnel not previously reported? A: The FTE reported for each employee should be based upon the amount of time worked by the employee and the contractual school day for the district. Hourly Wage Q: Can a district report both the hourly wage (Field 10: School Assignment Data) and annual salary (Field 28: Annual Salary) for a staff member? A: Yes. Districts may report both the hourly wage and the annual salary for their employees. Both must have valid values or a fatal error is reported. The reporting of hourly wage is optional; however, a valid value must be reported. The value may be zero "0". Accounting/Function Codes Q: What accounting/function codes does the REP require? A: The accounting/function codes utilized in the REP come from the Michigan Public School Accounting Manual at: These codes have been used statewide for several years. Q: What is meant by selecting an accounting/function code in the range of 2xx 3xx? A: When a range such as "2xx" through "3xx" is listed with an assignment code, districts are to select the most appropriate accounting/function code from the valid list of accounting/function codes "211" through "391" as listed in Field 10: School Assignment Data in the REP Data Field Descriptions. Q: What accounting function code should be used for alternative education teachers? A: Alternative education is a program rather than a function. Classroom teachers teaching high school courses to alternative education high school pupils are charged to function "113"; classroom teachers teaching junior high school courses to alternative education junior high pupils are charged to function "112". Other staff members related to alternative education programs are charged to the appropriate supporting function. For example, an alternative education principal is function "241" and an alternative education counselor is charged to function "212". (Office of State Aid and School Finance, MDE) EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 24 of 34

25 Highly Qualified Status Q: How do we define a highly qualified teacher? A: The State Board of Education has developed a document that outlines the definition of a highly qualified teacher. This document and other helpful resources concerning the highly qualified status of teachers can be found at the following Web address: Further information is available on the Michigan Education Association's (MEA) website at: Q: Are districts required to report the highly qualified status, major and minor data for all teachers with assignment codes of "000AX" through "00598"? A: Districts are required to report those teachers assigned to core academic subject areas as identified in the REP Data Field Descriptions under the General Education Assignments ("000AX" through "000ZZ") in Field 10: School Assignment Data. Reporting of highly qualified status for non-core academic teachers is optional. Q: If a teacher holds an elementary certificate with K-8 all subjects, and teaches a specific subject in a 7th- or 8th- grade classroom, is he/she considered highly qualified? A: The teacher may be deemed as highly qualified for the subject area if he/she takes and passes the subject-area Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) OR by utilizing one of the HOUSSE options. For more information regarding highly qualified status, go to ("Highly Qualified Help" link on the REP Web page), or contact the Office of Professional Preparation Services, MDE at (517) , or via at [email protected]. Q: If a staff member holds an associate's degree from a non-accredited college, would the staff member be considered highly qualified as a paraprofessional/aide? A: The accreditation of the college/university is not the deciding factor. The degree must have been received from a degree-granting institution such as a community college or a four-year college/university in order to be considered highly qualified as a paraprofessional/aide. (OPPS) Academic Major Q: If a teacher is in a K-5 assignment, is elementary education considered the major? A: If it is a K-5 assignment, consider elementary education as the major. (MDE, OPPS) Q: What is reported for the major if "yes" (1) is reported for the minor? A: Districts report "no" (2) for the major if a "yes" (1) is reported for the minor. Academic Minor Q: What is reported for the minor if a "yes" (1) is reported for the major? A: Districts report "no" (2) for the minor if a "yes" (1) is reported for the major. Administrator Continuing Education For information published by MDE, please refer to the MDE s website at: Number of Classes Taught Q: Does the number of classes taught need to be reported for all teachers? A: Districts are required to report the number of classes taught for teachers who are assigned to core academic subject areas. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 25 of 34

26 The core academic classes for the REP Submission include the following: 000BX Language Arts 000BA English 000BT Reading 000RX Social Studies 000CA Economics 000CB Geography 000CC History 000CD Political Science 000FA French 000FB German 000FC Greek 000FD Latin 000FE Russian 000FF Spanish 000FG Other Word Languages 000FH Italian 000FI Polish 000FJ Hebrew 000FK Arabic 000FL Japanese 000FR Chinese 000DX Science 000DA Biology 000DC Chemistry 000DE Physics 000DH Geology-Earth Science 000DO Astronomy 000DI Integrated Science 000DP Physical Science 000EX Mathematics 000JX Music Education 000LX Visual Art 000LT Theatre/Performance 000MH Dance 000ZG Elementary Education (Kindergarten through 5th grade [K-5] all subjects, K-8 self-contained) 000ZZ Alternative Education (Self-contained classroom) Special Education Assignments that require the reporting of Highly Qualified Status and number of classes taught Speech/Language Impaired Class room All Subjects Special education class where all students are assessed by alternate achievement standards (Mi- Access) Note: Highly qualified status must be reported for all bilingual teachers assigned to core academic subjects such as "YF0EX" (Mathematics in a Bilingual Spanish setting). Q: What is the correct way to report the number of core academic classes taught for an elementary self-contained classroom? A: The district may submit "1" for the number of core academic classes taught for an elementary self-contained classroom. Q: How does a district determine the number of core academic classes taught? Is it determined based upon the number of classes taught in a day, how many different classes are taught, or by the number of core classes taught by subject? A: The number of core academic classes taught is based upon the number of classes taught in each core academic subject. Refer to the document "Calculating the Number of Classes Taught" found on the REP Web page at Click on "CEPI Applications," and then click on the Registry of Educational Personnel link. The document is located under the heading "Current REP Submission." Miscellaneous Field 10 Questions Q: What is reported in Field 10 for vacant positions? A: For vacant positions, indicate the assignment codes for each vacant position. The salary may be reported as "000.00" for the vacant assignment; report the vacant assignment in Field 12: Funded Position Status using code "1". In Field 25: Employment Status, report code "00". EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 26 of 34

27 Q: If a full-year or emergency permit teacher is assigned to a core academic classroom, is the district required to report academic major, academic minor and highly qualified status for the teacher? A: Yes. Districts are required to report the appropriate core subject area(s), highly qualified status, academic major and academic minor for all core academic teachers. Field 11: Title I and Title II, Part A Teachers Field 12: Funded Position Status Q: What is reported in Field 12: Funded Position Status for assignment codes "80000" through "99900"? A: Field 12 must be left blank for assignment codes "80000" though "99900" or a fatal error will be reported, unless the position is submitted as a vacant position, as an employee on loan or leave, as a non-instructional contracted services provided, then report the appropriate code ("1" through "7") for the status of the position as follow: If submitted as a vacant position, then code "1", "2" or "5" must be submitted. If submitted as an employee on leave, then code "3", "4" or "6" must be submitted. If submitted as a non-instructional contracted services provider, then code "7" must be submitted. Q: What does "funded position" mean? A: A "funded position" is a position that is filled by a permanently assigned employee. Q: If a teacher takes a leave of absence, does the district terminate him/her with a termination date and termination reason? A: No. Report the teacher who takes a leave of absence in his/her regular position with an hourly wage of "000.00". (If it is a paid leave, reporting of the actual hourly wage is optional.) In Field 12: Funded Position Status, the district reports code "3," "4" or "6". In Field 25: Employment Status, report code "99". Q: How does a district report a teacher who is on maternity leave for an unknown period of time? A: Report the teacher as being in the position. In Field 12: Funded Position Status, use code "4", vacant, funded, on loan or leave, filled by temporary employee. Q: What is reported in Field 10: School Assignment Data for vacant positions? A: For vacant positions, indicate the assignment codes for the vacant position. The salary is reported as "000.00" for the vacant assignment. Report the vacant status code "1" in Field 12: Funded Position Status. In Field 25: Employment Status, report code "00". Q: If an employee is reported as on leave in Field 12, what code is reported in Field 25: Employment Status? A: For employees reported as on leave in Field 12, report a code "99" in Field 25. Field 13: Date of Birth Q: What is the correct format for reporting the date of birth? A: The correct format for reporting the date of birth is MM/DD/CCYY. For example: December 13, 1976 = 12/13/1976. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 27 of 34

28 Q: If an incorrect date of birth was reported in a previous submission, how is the correction made? A: All corrections to birthdates must be made through the REP Single Submission Online Application. Corrections to previously submitted data such as name, birthdate, gender, Social Security number or credential number are made through the REP Single Submission Online Application. For districts that use the Bulk Upload Application, the PIC number must be used if changes are made to the employee's name, gender, Social Security number or credential number. If the PIC number is not used in the Bulk Upload file, a duplicate record will be created. Field 14: Gender Code Field 15: Racial/Ethnic Code Q: Why does the REP call for ethnicity of school employees when employers cannot legally ask for the information on any government document? A: Once a staff member is hired, employers can ask for race/ethnicity information for entry into a number of federal forms (including the annual EEO5 form submitted to the U.S. Office of Civil Rights). The concern about collecting the information prior to employment is that it may be used for discrimination (which is another legal issue that deals with misuse of information not with the collection of the data). Q: How does a public school in the state of Michigan obtain race/ethnicity information from its staff when it is not required on federal and state government forms? A: Race/ethnicity is required on a number of federal forms. Districts may note that the format being used in the REP is based upon the same format used in the collection of the U.S Census. For full details on the Federal Registry that relates to race/ethnicity data, visit Q: If the racial/ethnic field is left blank, will a fatal error occur? A: Yes. A fatal error occurs if the racial/ethnic field is left blank. Field 16: Highest Educational Level Q: Do we need to enter degrees for all employees regardless of the assignment code? A: Yes. This field applies to all employees. It relates to all assignment codes with numbers between "000AX" and "99900"; for assignment codes "81500" through "99900", the value may be "00". Q: The codes given in Field 16: Highest Educational Level include "09" Other License, Credential or Professional Degree. Would "09" be used for certifications such as safety (OSHA), and MCSE (Technology), or is this more along the lines of CPAs or Journeyman certification? A: Code "09" may be used for any specific license or degree earned for the position held by the noninstructional staff. Field 17: Type of Credential Q: What are the codes to use when reporting the type of credential? A: The correct codes for each type of credential are listed in Field 17: Type of Credential of the REP Data Field Descriptions. Q: How are the School Psychologists and Speech/Language Impaired positions reported in Field 10: School Assignment Data and Field 17: Type of Credential? EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 28 of 34

29 A: School Psychologist (MDE endorsement code "SG") for Field 10: School Assignment Data - use code "00320"; Field 17: Type of Credential - use code "61" (School Psychologist) or code "62" (Preliminary School Psychologist). Speech and Language Impaired (MDE endorsement code "SB") Field 10: School Assignment Data -- use code "00192", "00290" or "00292"; Field 17: Type of Credential - use the code for the type of credential held by the teacher, such as code "03" (Elementary Provisional) or code "72" (Certificate of Clinical Competence). Q: What is the correct way to report the type of credential for a new instructor with an interim occupational certificate? A: You should report code "54" (Interim Occupational Certificate -Vocational Temporary Authorization) in Field 17: Type of Credential of the REP Application. The wording "Interim Occupational Certificate" has replaced "Vocational Temporary Authorization." Q: What is the correct way to report the type of credential for Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Instructors? A: Report the type of credential in Field 17: Type of Credential with a Code "73" Department of Defense Certificate (ROTC). Q: The type of certificate we have on file for an instructor indicates "Temporary Vocational Authorization." However, the Teacher Verification website indicates the current certificate as an "Occupational Education Certificate." Which type of certificate is the correct one to report? A: Report the Occupational Education Certificate. The Occupational Education Certificate is the advanced level of the vocational certification. Q: What is the correct way to report the type of credential for a speech pathologist who has obtained his/her license through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)? A: Report Code "75" Speech Pathology License (LARA) in Field 17: Type of Credential. Field 18: Date Credential Issued (Optional) Field 19: Date of Expiration of Credential (Optional) Field 20: Educator Effectiveness Q: Is Field 20 required to be reported in both fall and end-of-year REP submissions? A: No. Field 20 is required in the EOY REP Submission, but data may be submitted in the field in the fall submission cycle. Q: Are districts required to submit an educator effectiveness label for paraprofessionals/aides? A: No. The reporting of an educator effectiveness label is not required for paraprofessionals/aides. Q: Why are districts required to report educator effectiveness labels? A: The educator effectiveness labels are required under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) grant assurances. Q: What are the educator effectiveness labels? A: The labels are: "01" Highly Effective "02" Effective EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 29 of 34

30 "08" Minimally Effective "03" Ineffective Q: How are districts to determine the educator effectiveness labels? A: School districts are required to determine and define the criteria attached to each of these labels within their local evaluation systems. If the school district uses the alternative labels, they must determine which labels correspond with the labels listed in Field 20. Q: Are there any exemptions for the reporting of an educator effectiveness label? A: In the following situations Field 20 may be left blank: 1. Employee is reported as deceased. 2. Employee is reported as on leave with a code of 3, 4 or 6 in Field 12: Funded Position Status. 3. Employee is reported as on leave directly to retirement or termination from district with a code of 7 in Field 25: Employment Status. Q: Which assignment codes require educator effectiveness to be reported for the End-of-Year REP Submission? A: Educator effectiveness labels must be reported for any individual who is serving in the following assignment codes: Required Assignment Codes with exceptions noted. Assignment Codes Description "000AX" through "000ZZ," (except "00SUB," Teachers "00PAR," "000NY" and "00200" through "00413") "00192" through "00197" Teachers "00501" through "00598" Teachers "Y*0AX" through "Y*0ZZ" Teachers (except "Y*014" or "Y*016" Paraprofessionals/Aides and "Y*0NY" School Nurse) "60300" and "60400" Teachers "70***," "71***," "72***," "73***" and Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, "74***" Administrators, Principals and Assistant (Example: 70100: ISD Superintendent) Principals Q: What options are available for the reporting of educator effectiveness labels? A: Districts are expected to report one effectiveness label per educator. If the educator serves in multiple roles, the district must determine an appropriate evaluation metric for that individual and assign an overall effectiveness label for that educator. Districts are to select one educator effectiveness label as outlined in SFSF Indicator (a)(6): "01" Highly Effective "02" Effective "08" Minimally Effective "03" Ineffective Fields 21, 22, 23: Reserved for Future Use These fields are not required. These fields must be reported with blanks or a fatal error will be reported. (See the programming edits in the REP Data Field Descriptions for these fields.) EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 30 of 34

31 Field 24: New Teacher Professional Development Q: Is professional development reported for all employees? A: No. Field 24: New Teacher Professional Development in the REP Data Field Descriptions indicates that professional development must be reported for new teachers only. A new teacher is one who is in his or her first three years in the profession of teaching. New teachers are reported with a code "97" or "98" in Field 25: Employment Status. Q: Are districts required to report Field 24: New Teacher Professional Development for the fall and end-of-year submissions? A: Districts are required to report the number of days of professional development provided by the district in Field 24: New Teacher Professional Development for the end-of-year submission for new teachers reported with a code "97" or "98" in Field 25: Employment Status. Q: If a staff member is provided with 1.5 or 2.5 days on a particular professional development activity, how should the time be reported? A: Report the actual days. Field 24 will accept up to two decimal places for days. For example, if an individual was provided with 2.5 days, report 2.5 in Field 24. Q: When determining the number of days provided for professional development days, what constitutes a day? A: A "day" of professional development/learning is determined by the district definition of a "contract day." For example, if school district defines a "day" as 6.5 hours, then one reportable day would be 6.5 hours. Also, a "day" of professional development/learning might be acquired in hourly increments that equal a "day." Q: Why must professional development be reported? A: Tracking professional development is mandated in the school code, Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL), Section This information is collected for MDE (since the June 2003 submission), as well as for federal legislation, The No Child Left Behind Act of Q: If the district pays for college coursework, may the days be used toward the individual's professional development requirements? How are the hours calculated? A: University or college coursework can only be counted toward professional development requirements if your district counts university coursework as allowable professional development for MCL Section and provides it for staff members, either through paying tuition or a portion of tuition, release time, etc. Whether college/university credit is defined by the number of class hours, credit hours earned, or class hours in combination with preparation, time credited is left up to the district policy. Q: What happens if a teacher does not attend all of the five days of professional development provided by the district? Can missed days be made up? A: The district is required to provide the professional development. The staff member is professionally responsible to attend. In many districts, they are also contractually responsible to attend. If teachers are occasionally absent it is not held against the district. Making up the missed days depends upon the district's policy. Q: If a college course is taken at the teacher's expense, can the days in attendance be counted toward the teacher s professional development requirement? A: No. The days of professional development entered into the REP are days required by MCL Section Thus, college credit completed at the teacher's expense does not qualify as professional development that the district has provided. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 31 of 34

32 Q: What type of backup documentation are districts required to keep? Is it the district's responsibility or the teacher's responsibility to keep this documentation? Is a list of who attended what professional development enough, or is more detailed information required? A: As MCL Section 1526 specifies that the district must provide the professional development, it makes sense that the district should keep track of the records. However, MDE always recommends that each individual also keep a record of the professional development that he/she attends. It is part of his/her professional portfolio. As far as what the district keeps for documentation, it seems prudent to keep track of dates, attendance and content, although a district should keep records any auditor might require. Q: Do days of professional development need to be reported for long-term substitute employees? A: No. According to Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL), schools/districts do not need to report the number of days of professional development for long-term substitute teachers. The reporting of Field 24: New Teacher Professional Development in the REP Application is considered optional for these employees. However, it is the recommendation of MDE that schools/districts include long-term substitute teachers in their learning community and provide them with the same opportunities for professional learning as regular staff members. Q: May teachers count the five days of teacher professional development that the schools must provide each year toward their days of professional development? A: Yes. The teachers may count these days toward their yearly requirement of days of professional development. Field 25: Employment Status Q: Is it necessary to terminate employees in the REP? A: Yes. Any staff member who terminates or retires from a district must be reported in the REP by submitting the reason for termination in Field 25: Employment Status, codes "01" through "19", (code "00" may only be used for vacant funded positions) and the date of termination in Field 26: Date of Termination of Employment. In addition to these two fields, all other fields appropriate for the assignment code submitted in Field 10: School Assignment Data must be reported. The submission would be based upon the last position held by employee. Employees who retired in previous school years and still appear on the REP Personnel Submitted Report must be terminated. These terminations can be submitted through the Single Submission Online Application. All personnel records submitted with a termination date will be removed from your Personnel Submitted Report at the end of each submission cycle. Q: If a staff member has been terminated and a new employee hired, does the district report both employees? A: The district reports both employees. The terminated employee should be reported for one collection in the cycle in which the termination occurs whenever possible. Q: If a staff member has terminated, what is reported in the REP? A: When a staff member is terminated, report all fields as required for the assignment code of the employee. In addition, report the reason for termination in Field 25 and the termination date in Field 26: Date of Termination of Employment. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 32 of 34

33 Q: How are new teachers coded? A: For new teachers in their first three years of teaching (new to profession), use code "98". If the teacher is new to the profession of teaching, but has been employed by the district for more than three years, use code "97" for his/her first three years of teaching. Q: When are retirees and terminated employees reported in the REP? A: Report all retirees and terminated employees in the submission cycle in which the retirement/termination occurs when possible. Q: When should code "97" or "98" be used in Field 25 for new teachers? A: Code "97" should be used for teachers who are new to the profession of teaching (first three years), but are not new to a district. For example, a district may have employed an individual as a teacher's aide while he/she attended college to become a teacher. After the individual becomes a certified teacher, the district may hire the individual for a teaching position. Thus, the teacher is new to the profession of teaching, but not new to the district. Code "98" should be used for teachers who are new to the profession of teaching (first three years) and have not worked in the profession of teaching for more than three years. Q: Should code "97" or "98" (New Teacher) be used for all new employees? A: No. Code "97" or "98" may only be used for teachers in their first three years of employment as teachers. When reporting all other new employees, use code "99" [returning employee, new (noninstructional) employee, new experienced teacher, substitute, or contractor]. Q: After a teacher has completed he/her first three years in the profession of teaching, what code should be reported in Field 25? A: Report code 99 (Returning employee) after a teacher has completed the first three years in the profession of teaching. Q: If a teacher is laid off as of the last day of a school year, should the district report the teacher as terminated? A: If the teacher is laid off and will definitely not return for the next school year, report the teacher as laid off by the district (Field 25, code "12") indicating that the teacher will not return to the district. If the layoff is not definite, but the teacher does not return in the fall, the termination may be reported during the next submission cycle. Field 26: Date of Termination of Employment Q: When a termination date is reported for a staff member, what other fields are required? A: When a staff member is terminated, report all fields as required for the assignment code of the employee. In addition, report the reason for termination in Field 25: Employment Status and the termination date in Field 26: Date of Termination of Employment. Field 27: Personnel Identification Code (PIC) Q: What is the PIC? A: PIC, or Personnel Identification Code, is a state-issued code for each employee reported in the REP. The PIC is comparable to the Unique Identification Code (UIC) in the Michigan Student Data System. EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 33 of 34

34 Q: How can the district obtain a list of the PICs for staff members of the district? A: The PIC numbers are assigned as the records are submitted to the REP Application. A list of all the PICs for a district may be obtained through reports within the REP Application: Employee Listing by District Download REP Data File Personnel Submitted Report Q: What steps should a district take when an error message is received indicating "A PIC was found based on the submitted SSN but the submitted date of birth does not match the date of birth of the record in the REP database"? A: Log in to the REP Application. On the main menu of the REP, click on the Online Single Submission Form. Enter the employee's Social Security number in the "Professional Personnel Box" (regardless of the position s/he holds) and click on "Go." All the personal information for the individual (name, Social Security number, date of birth, gender, etc.) will appear on the submission screen. Correct the date of birth and enter all remaining fields required for the assignment code of the employee. Click on the save bar ("Submit REP Data for this Employee") at the bottom of the submission screen. The date-of-birth correction will then be saved in the REP database and the record will be updated for the current submission. Field 28: Annual Salary Q: Can annual salary be reported for all assignment codes "000AX" through "99900"? A: Districts may report the annual salary for any employee reported in the REP regardless of the assignment code. Field 29: (Reserved Field) Field 30: (Reserved Field) EOY 2015 REP Submission Page 34 of 34